DCR Research Office Intern

Job Description

This position is located at 40 Cold Storage Dr, Amherst, MA 01003

Who We Are:

The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) seeks to protect, preserve, and enhance Massachusetts' environmental resources and create a clean energy future for all residents. Through the stewardship of open spaces, the protection of environmental resources, and the advancement of clean energy, EEA works tirelessly to make Massachusetts a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family. Our commitment to environmental justice ensures that every resident, regardless of background or location, can live in a safe, clean environment and shares equally in the benefits of the clean energy transition.

Who We Are as an Employer:

At EEA, we create meaningful, inclusive opportunities that empower our employees to make a real difference in shaping the environmental future of Massachusetts. We foster a workplace culture where diversity is valued, innovation is encouraged, and collaboration thrives. Our employees play a vital role in advancing sustainability, environmental justice, and clean energy solutions, ensuring a positive and lasting impact on Massachusetts and its residents.

The Department of Conservation and Recreation's mission is to protect, promote and enhance our commonwealth of natural, cultural and recreational resources for the well-being of all. The DCR is steward to one of the largest and most diverse state parks systems in the nation which includes more than 450,000 acres of parks, forests, water supply protection lands, beaches, lakes, ponds, playgrounds, swimming pools, skating rinks, trails, golf courses and parkways. DCR strives to be an exemplary leader in conservation and recreation. DCR's staff is passionate, dedicated, and continuously employs best practices that are informed by expertise, and creates a sense of place through carrying out the mission.

Job Opening:

The Department of Conservation and Recreation's (DCR) Research Office Intern will support the Research Office's validation of the Department of Fish and Game (DFG)/DCR Habitat Suitability model developed by the renowned Dr. John McDonald of Westfield State.

Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, assisting with field data collection, data management, and data analysis. Specific duties will be tailored to the intern's skills, interests, and experience.

This position offers flexibility in scope and provides opportunities to contribute meaningfully to applied research and resource management projects supporting the Commonwealth's Biodiversity Initiative, the DFG's Endangered Species Program, and DCR's Stewardship Program. The Habitat Suitability Model has the potential to significantly expand the Commonwealth's capacity for state wildlife and stewardship agencies - if the accuracy of the model is validated. The intern will enable model validation. The intern will execute applied research through the mentorship of cross-agency experts and other partners in a variety of natural resource disciplines. The intern will work alongside professionals in ecology, forestry, wildlife management, GIS, data management, and conservation research. This experience offers a unique opportunity for the intern to meaningfully contribute to the stewardship of Massachusetts' natural and recreational resources while developing their professional competencies.

Duties:

• Deployment of wildlife monitoring devices in moderately challenging terrain.
• Navigation through forests using GPS and topographic maps.
• Data management.
• Data analysis.

• Experience conducting fieldwork in remote or moderately challenging terrain.
• Familiarity with acoustic monitoring equipment (e.g., wildlife audio recorders such as Wildlife Acoustics Song Meter devices or similar).
• Ability to navigate using GPS and interpret topographic maps
• Physical ability to hike long distances and carry equipment safely
• Familiarity with conservation or natural resource management principles
• Experience in R for data cleaning, manipulation, statistical analysis, and visualization
• Experience working with large, complex datasets
• Experience managing spatial data.